AN: Welcome to Kamabo-Reset! This is a Splatoon AU that follows the behind the scenes of the Octo Expansion and Kamabo Co., with a few twists! Primarily, it follows the test subjects' lives, and how each one's story is intertwined with another. It was co-written by me and my amazing friend, AFancyHat. Don't be alarmed by the shorter chapters, either- this fic will have a lot, and I mean a lot, of little moments like that, and that's just the style we've decided on!
So mind the gap as you step aboard the train, and get ready for one shell of a ride!
Chapter 1- Pure, Promised Spotlight pierces through the Seafloor
#10,008- Less formally known as Tacioni, or simply Tako- is still pretty new at this whole job, still a little nervous when checking tickets or simply greeting the passengers. But she is trying her best, and hasn't really messed anything up!
Project Promised Land was supposed to be complete with her DNA, though- how did that go?
Well, it was all thanks to CQ Cumber, test overseer and main conductor of Train 096- the one safe train left in the Deepsea Metro since Kamabo Co.'s takeover. He's still a Kamabo employee, but… his position is special. Not all of the Metro was Kamabo, and there were still normal people living down here, with normal jobs and lives. They couldn't be interfering with the sanitized on a daily basis, that was not only dangerous, but inconvenient.
In a way, CQ, and now 10,008 thanks to a few strings pulled, were the peace officers between the two sides of the underground.
But even with how tame their jobs seemed compared to the rest of Kamabo, they were still one of the most important, and the mental toll of ever seeing an un-sanitized Octoling step on board wasn't… fun. Eight didn't know the whole truth about that yet… but she would soon.
For now, they had a train to run, and a schedule to meet. CQ came down the aisle in his weird-waddle way, he's been trying to get more familiar with the Octoling he'd be working with. Getting close to anyone in Kamabo wasn't a good idea, but, he wanted to. There was something special about Eight- and that wasn't just her test scores.
"10,008- you're doing well…" You could probably imagine the little sparkly sea slug's blush here- "I ought to call you by your name by now, as a coworker."
He never had heard anyone, such as the Captain, refer to her by anything other than Eight, though. He was about to be really embarrassed if she didn't have a name- although most didn't.
She's honestly a little surprised, nobody had really asked for her name down here before, and even she herself had nearly forgotten it upon waking up. The only reason she remembered it, was still having her dog tag from Octavio's army, reminding her of it every day.
"Oh! Right- It's Tacioni..." She sheepishly informs, though with a small smile.
"…Right then." Good, embarrassment saved. "Well, I do hope you don't mind this job- and, no hard feelings from the tests, yes?" He had been just doing his job, too.
And don't worry, he'll still handle the exploding and test-failing. Eight- er, Tacioni, will be more of a test guide, and if anything, encouragement. She was such a bubbly, kind soul. She didn't deserve a fate at all- but he was glad he was at least able to change it.
"Nono, not at all! I understand it was just an assigned task as well-" She waves her hands dismissively, and continues her cheerful smile right after.
She's plenty happy to simply guide the new subjects through everything, and be a bit of a cheerleader. She understands that they might need that, too, that it wasn't quite as rewarding to everyone else-
"…Would you like to announce the upcoming station..?" CQ will admit, he's awkward and not the best at conversation. He'd rather move on from uncomfortable topics quickly-
"Oh! Sure!" Let's see...that would be... "...C02, right?" If she remembers correctly, she really hopes she did-
"I was certain you would be good at this- you're observant. You knew this already when you were still a passenger, didn't you?"
"It was a bit of a pass-time, yeah-" It might sound like a weird bit of a pass-time, but it was that, or just re-reading chat messages or looking over mem cakes.
CQ nods, and starts squirming to the front of the car to the microphone, but also stays out of Tako's way in case she wants to get there faster.
"..Would you like some help getting to the front of the train, though?"
"…Yes." It was Eight, it was alright. And the train wasn't that crowded today. But still, he blushes as she very gently picks him up, walks up to the very front of the train, and sets him down on a suitable comfy spot once they get there.
He liked that. She was so nice. How. How could she be, down here. Was it really just being naive? No, maybe it was the way his friend Iso could still be poetic, and how some subjects never lost hope. He wondered, if he had any traits like that. If he could even hold onto them… He really just did what he was told, and did his best.
He did save one, though. And he hosted a safe haven aboard this train- guess that's worth something, right? He glances up to her, and just watches. Maybe.. content, with something he had done for once in a long, long time.
Her announcement of the upcoming station rings through the speakers, alerting any planning to get off here, or just to notify those aboard where they were. Completely oblivious to what's going on in the little sea cucumber's mind-
Her cheeriness wasn't magic, like CQ made it out to be. It was partially just her caring nature, appreciating him and her current job here with him, appreciating what she had instead of what she didn't. And perhaps simply hope, that everyone else on this train would be equally as content.
...Perhaps those not belonging in the system of numbers she belonged in, might.